The ceremony took place on 24 August. It was hosted by prof. Dorota Olczak Kowalczyk, Dean of FMD. A congratulation speech was given in the name of prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, the Rector, by prof. Wojciech Lisik, Vice-Rector for Clinical Matters and Investments. Another speech was delivered by Marek Kuch, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Training. As he congratulated the graduates, he pointed out that they had to face many challenges in the course of their study: studying during the time of the pandemic, faculty changes - and they dealt with all of that very well.
– These studies were hard, but still cannot afford to be complacent. Keep learning, fight for what’s yours, take action! - professor Kuch encouraged the graduates.
The challenges of contemporary world
Graduates of audiophonology, radiation therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy were working for the most part of their courses at the WUM Faculty of Medicine under the direction of Dariusz Białoszewski, MD hab., University professor who first established the Faculty and worked as its Dean during 2019-2022. Therefore, the professor was an essential guest at the ceremony. He emphasized during his speech that the medical profession requires continuous learning - this is an obligation, a right and a privilege. He also pointed out certain challenges of the contemporary world that the graduates present in the auditorium would have to face.
- You are now entering a world that has undergone a huge change. We are now dealing with the development of brand new tools. Artificial intelligence is one of them. AI paradigm-based algorithms of self-learning neural networks have now become an integral part of medical sciences, health sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and healthcare. Such self-learning bots are being deeply transformed in front of us today, offering numerous extraordinary benefits. However, AI is not a perfect solution. It is to be used as a supplementary tool. But human beings are the subjects at the center of your work, and nothing can replace direct contact with the patient – said Dariusz Białoszewski, MD, University professor.
Oath and awarding the diplomas
The oath was the central point of the ceremony. The graduates made a commitment to serve the people’s lives and health as their first and foremost duty, to help their patients regardless of their race, religion, nationality, political affiliation or wealth.
After the oath, prof. Lisik, prof. Olczak Kowalczyk and University prof. Dariusz Białoszewski, MD hab., handed the diplomas to everyone. The best graduates received the Graduate’s Golden Laurels. This is the Rector’s award for graduates of the long-cycle Master’s degree program and second-cycle Master’s studies who graduated with the highest results of the year.
Anna Antośkiewicz gave the final speech of the diploma ceremony. As a Physiotherapy graduate, she had particularly good memories of learning rehabilitation. On behalf of all the graduates, she thanked the teacher, the Dean’s office personnel, families and friends.
The Golden Laurels were awarded to Adrianna Deptuła, specialization: physical therapy - final grade average 4.73; and Katarzyna Miszczak, specialization: general and clinical speech and language therapy - final grade average 4.93. They were also awarded to two persons who were absent at the ceremony: Aleksandra Kędzierska, specialization: radiation therapy, full-time studies - final grade average 4.88, and Klaudyna Czarnecka, specialization: radiation therapy, part-time studies - final grade average 4.78.
Beside the persons enumerated above, other attendees included: prof. Paweł Włodarski, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Promotion and Development; prof. Aneta Nitsch-Osuch, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine; Piotr Luliński, PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; prof. Michał Grąt, Director of the WUM Doctoral School; Marta Kijach-Bloch, MD, Chancellor of WUM; prof. Witold Rongies, Provincial Consultant in Physiotherapy for Mazowieckie Province and member of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Council; Agata Szkiełkowska, MD hab., professor at the Institue of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing (IFPS) and Provincial Consultant in Audiology and Phoniatrics for Mazowieckie Province; Joanna Chmielewska-Walczak, MD, Provincial Consultant in Neuro Speech Therapy; Michał Szafarewicz, Coordinator of the Provincial Branch of the Polish Chamber of Physical Therapist of Mazowieckie Province; Maria Teresa Płazińska, MD, Manager and Coordinator of Radiation Therapy Specialization; mgr Agnieszka Pastuszka, Manager of Audiophonology with Auditory Prosthetics Specialization.
Among other attendees, there were members of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Council, the chairman and members of Teachers Councils and Syllabus Councils, teachers, representatives of Students’ Self-Government.
